International News
Harness the power of AI in your retail jewellery business
Have you ever wished you could effortlessly blend the timeless charm of in-store jewellery shopping with the cutting-edge convenience of online technology? With AI, that wish is not just a dream—it’s the future of retail jewellery. Let’s explore how artificial intelligence can transform your business and give your customers an unforgettable shopping experience, both online and offline.
How AI Enhances Customer Engagement
Your customers deserve an experience that makes them feel special, and AI helps you achieve this by delivering highly personalized interactions, both online and in-store. Here’s how:
Automating the Customer Journey
AI handles everything from the moment a customer shows interest to after they’ve made a purchase. This not only ensures a seamless experience but also gives you more time to focus on what matters—delivering quality service and beautiful products.
Turn Leads into Loyals
With AI, you can turn casual browsers into loyal customers. By analyzing data from multiple touchpoints—whether it’s a walk-in, an Instagram inquiry, or a lead from an exhibition—AI centralizes lead management for seamless follow-up and conversion. It helps you track customer journeys and engage with them through personalized offers, driving long-term loyalty.
Personalized Recommendations
Imagine having a system that understands your customers’ preferences, past purchases, and even current trends to suggest the perfect piece of jewellery. With AI-powered recommendation engines, that’s exactly what you get. Whether it’s helping a customer find an engagement ring based on their browsing history or suggesting the ideal bracelet to match their style, AI enables you to tailor each experience to their tastes.
Customer Service Chatbots
Providing 24/7 customer service can be a challenge, but AI-powered chatbots make it easy. These intelligent systems can answer questions, help with product recommendations, track orders, and offer personalized assistance at any time. Not only does this improve customer satisfaction, but it also frees up your team to focus on complex queries that require a human touch.
Virtual Try-Ons
With augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) powered by AI, customers can virtually try on your jewellery from the comfort of their homes. This makes it easier for them to visualize how a product looks on them in real time, helping them make more confident purchase decisions while reducing return rates. This is a huge win for both your online and in-store shopping experiences.
Optimize Inventory Management
AI-driven systems predict demand, optimize stock levels, and reduce excess inventory by analyzing sales data and market trends. This ensures popular items stay in stock, minimizing stockouts and overstock, leading to better inventory control and financial management.
Zithara.AI empowers retail jewelers
Zithara.AI empowers retail jewelers by seamlessly integrating both online and offline customer data to provide personalized, data-driven experiences that drive conversions.
It also automates lead qualification through seamless CRM integration. For existing customers, leads are qualified based on past purchase history, while new leads are assessed through social media interactions to determine their potential. This comprehensive approach ensures that high-potential prospects are prioritized, allowing you to focus on converting the best leads and fostering stronger customer relationships.
Zithara.AI provides:
- Centralized Lead Management & Automated Qualification
- Targeted Marketing & Personalization
- Predictive Analytics for Smarter Decisions
AI in retail has become a game-changer, especially when it comes to understanding and serving your customers better. Our goal at Zithara.AI is to help jewelers create personalized experiences that blend the physical and digital shopping worlds. It’s not just about offering products; it’s about offering the right product and right communication at the right time.
International News
Precious metals refining in crisis ; driven by rising commodity prices, limited refining capacity, and tight credit
The precious metals refining industry is in crisis as of January 30, 2026, due to skyrocketing commodity prices, limited refining capacity, and tight credit. Major refiners like Metalor and United Precious Metal Refining have halted new shipments, paused payments, and prioritized existing customers. This stems from a surge in trade-ins—gold hit $5,500/oz before dropping to $4,700/oz, silver reached $50/oz—overwhelming a shrunken U.S. capacity post-2019 closures of firms like Republic Metals.
Root Causes
High prices sparked massive investor and retail sell-offs of jewelry and scrap, tripling purchase volumes year-over-year. Structural bottlenecks persist: U.S. refineries, reduced to dozens, handle reservoir-scale inflows via “garden hose” infrastructure. Debt-financed models exacerbate issues—14-day processing cycles stretched to 60-90 days, payments from 48 hours to 14 days, exhausting credit lines amid doubled prices and interest costs. Banks hesitate to lend amid volatility, like gold’s $700 weekly plunge, making expanded operations unprofitable.
Key metrics
Key metrics underscore the acute strain on the precious metals refining sector: purchase volumes have surged to a 3x year-over-year increase, while gold prices have doubled over the same period; processing cycle times have ballooned from 14 days to 60-90 days, and payment cycles stretched from 48 hours to 14 days; silver recovery timelines now project 6-8 months to clear backlogs.
 Capacity expansion lags due to infrastructure, regulations, and training needs. Jewelry retailers suffer cash flow hits from delayed scrap payments, disrupting supply chains like pre-holiday rushes.
Market Outlook and Recovery
 Disruptions are seen as temporary liquidity crunches, not insolvency. Gold’s price retreat signals moderation; silver backlogs may take 6-8 months (e.g., Kitco halted silver buys). Stabilization should restore credit and operations, viewed as a historic event demanding better resilience.
Strategic Recommendations
- Refiners: Enhance customer communication, optimize capital, plan long-term capacity. Retailers: Revise cash planning, diversify refiners, inform customers.
- Stakeholders: View as manageable pause; track volatility and backlogs.
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